the one area that Luna really excels, imo, is one touch passing in a crowd. He seems to really have excellent vision and field awareness in tight spaces. Not really sure that any of our other players are superior to him in that area.
Yes. He also has the Dempsey-tryin-shit factor. I think that's a large part of Poch's advocacy for him.
Hugely overrated for me. And under no circumstances he can be on the field with Pulisic, Luna has ability to crowd the space and Pulisic is a primary victim of that. Whoever is playing left wing is as well.
I don't think he's going to be on the field with Pulisic very often, unless one of them is playing CAM and more on the right. Both have primarily played LW-as-CAM for the US. He's basically Christian's backup. Putting them on the same side is probably a mistake as they both like to play in that half space. That said, both of them make off ball runs and have a decent to plus through ball, so it wouldn't be a complete loss.
Mine.. we are winning the whole f-ing thing with this. ------------Balo-------- --------CP------Tillman/Reyna--- Jedi-----------------------Dest/Weah ----------Tyler----Wes----------- --------------3 CBs--------------
So I asked ClaudeAI to answer this question focusing on his time at Tottenham, and it came back with... Core philosophy: While he would have preferred rotation among the field players (excepting CB position), Poch tended to stick with the same XI rather than rotate from week-to-week because the quality drop off was too much beyond the starting XI. Clear first XI during peak years (2015-17): Lloris, Walker, Rose, Alderweireld, Vertonghen, Dier, Dembele, Eriksen, Alli, Son, and Kane formed the core. An exception: There was some tactical rotation at full-back between Rose/Davies and Walker/Trippier depending on opposition. Spurs suffered a late season drop-off because of fatigue issues related to this limited rotation. Sam comments: F%!#@$ us all. The robots are coming for our jobs.
Gregg was 4231 with the Grew but played 4123 with the US, even though he had had next to no experience with the formation. In other words, what Gregg used with the US was more relevant to what was going to be used in the WC.
Coaches adapt. Good coaches do anyway. You watch even Premier League coaches fail to adapt, and you're like..............for Pete's sake, try something else!!! Pochettino came into the USMNT job explicitly stating that he was going to install a 4-2-3-1/4-3-3 kind of system. Then gaining knowledge of the pool, working with our players, and gaining experience in international soccer has led him to a formation change to this 3-4-3 kind of a system. Also, certainly players being unavailable every camp also plays a role. He hasn't had Antonee in a while. The last time Poch had Antonee Robinson, we played a four in the back system...............with Antonee playing an inverted fullback role. What Klopp did with Alexander-Arnold at Liverpool. Basically, Antonee was playing as a central midfielder much of the time (in the way that Gregg used Tyler Adams in one friendly, which caused the board to melt down). But you're not doing THAT with Arfsten or Tolkin. Or a Dest on the other side. Having Antonee allowed that tactic against opposition like Jamaica. Does not having a Pulisic or a McKennie or an Antonee or an Adams or a Dest or a Pepi/Balogun for a series of games lead a coach to a formation or tactics change? YES. It does for somebody like Poch. Antonee is a different level of player than Arsten. Dest is a very different player than Scally and Freeman. With or without Pulisic is a big deal. What I'm trying to say is Poch is a good coach. He's actually going to choose a formation based on his available players and their capabilities. He's going to choose it based on the opposition and how he wants our team to play. So yes, our players and roster will be set up to allow for BOTH 3- and 4 at the back. Which isn't some big deal. Players at the level of Puslic and McKennie have played for lots of different managers with lots of different formations and tactics. They'll adapt to the job. I continue to think McKennie's role is an interesting one. That probably depends on who else is available...........................
If I am writing them down in order: 1. Pulisic, WF/AM/SS/CAM 2. A. Robinson, LB/LWB 3. Adams, DM/CM 4. Richards, CB/RCB --------------- 5. Balogun, CF/WF 6. Dest, RB/RWB/RM/FB/WB/AM 7. M. Tillman, AM/CM/CAM 8. McKennie, AM/RM/CM/CAM 9. Ream, CB/LCB/LB 10. Weah, AM/WF/WB/FB ---------------- 11. Freese, GK 12. Tessman, CM 13. McKenzie, CB/LCB/RCB 14. Freeman, FB/WB/RCB ---------------- 15. Arfsten, WB/FB/AM 16. Luna, AM/CAM/WF 17. Roldan, CM/DM/AM 18. Wright, CF/WF ------------------ 19. M. Robinson, CB/RCB/RB 20. Pepi, CF ----------- 21. Berhalter, CM/RM/DM 22. GK#2, Turner? 23. GK#3, Schulte? ---------------- 24. Reyna, AM/CAM/CM/WF 25. Morris, CM 26. Trusty, CB/LCB -------------------- 27. B. Aaronson, WF/AM/CAM 28. Zendejas, AM/CAM/WF -------------- 29. Agyemang, CF 30. Zimmerman, CB ------ Others are certainly in the mix. Zawadzki, Banks, more GKs, Tolkin, Blackmon, Sands, Musah, Cardoso, Sargent, Downs, LDLT, T. Tillman, etc.
What's interesting to me is that Pochettino used both Freeman and Scally as a RCB in our last two games. If that's the case, do we even take a 5th natural CB. You've got RIchards, McKenzie, Ream, and RObinson solidly in a 26 man roster (if that's the size they go with). My gut is that Trusty, Blackmon, and Banks are all on the outside at this very moment. Zimmerman has only played 5 minutes for the USMNT since he started the debacle against Switzerland. Poch seems to have made some judgments after that game. Johnny Cardoso has barely been used since that game. I think you have it right that Reyna's reemergence has put Aaronson and Zendejas clearly on the bubble. There are twists and turns to come still, as Adams' recent injury made us all feel most acutely.
Seems Poch's scheme flexes into a back-4 with Freeman or Scally sliding from RCB to RB. Natural CBs have tended to populate other 2 positions in the back-3. 4-5 natural CBs on a 26-man roster would be reasonable.
Great to see both Robinson and Dest back healthy and playing. USMNT missed them both desperately when they have been out the last couple of years. Fantastic FB pairing.
I'm neutral on Luna, but I found it interesting in the Australia game that when he subbed on for an injured Pulisic, the US equalized almost immediately and went on to win. As for Roldan, this is how things were going for the USMNT before he returned: 🇺🇸 USMNT has now lost five straight games vs FIFA top 25 teams by a combined 11-1.🇺🇸 U.S. is winless in seven straight such games, getting outscored 17-3.🇺🇸 Excluding Mexico, the last U.S. win vs a FIFA top 25 team was over Iran at the 2022 World Cup.— Paul Carr (@PaulCarr) September 6, 2025 ...and this is how things ended up after Poch gave Roldan his 3 starts: USMNT is unbeaten in four straight games vs FIFA top 40 teams for the first time in 10 years.🇺🇸 2-1 vs Paraguay🇺🇸 2-1 vs Australia🇺🇸 1-1 vs Ecuador🇺🇸 2-0 vs Japan— Paul Carr (@PaulCarr) November 16, 2025 Note that the one game out of that undefeated streak that only resulted in a tie was the only game that Roldan didn't get the start; all the others were victories. I'm sure Poch has noticed this and is happy with CR7's two-way play. If Roldan were bad as his critics say, the results wouldn't be this good. You can't get away with hiding an obvious weak link in the middle of the park.
Roldan was absolutely instrumental to our turnaround. I don't think it's specifically Roldan but our defensive issues in the South Korea match were caused by a very passive and timid defense, led by a midfield of Berhalter and Adams who seemed on their heels. There was little to no pressure on the ball at any point -- forget a high press; we let guys pass at will. The defense turned around when we inserted Roldan, and he spent the rest of the match and the Japan match playing what was essentially a band aid. One second he'd be literally counterpressing the opposing striker from the CDM position; the next he'd be careening back and covering behind Arfsten on a counter. Dude was everywhere, and he essentially filled the gaps. Since the second half of the match, we've been counter pressing as a team much better, but the biggest tactical change is that the two CDMs / CMs have been extremely active. What was a fairly anchored role for the first year of Poch's tenure has become a very high activity / high movement role. Roldan was the first to do it. He's also very well suited to it. I think lots of guys are suited -- Adams, of course. Morris is basically a younger Roldan. But even someone like Tessman has played very actively in contrast to earlier call ups (and much of his club play). Lots of guys can do it, but Roldan does it really well -- not only the defensive activity but he moves the ball very quickly forward on offense. Nothing spectacular (though 2 assists) but he's finding the attackers we want with the ball quickly and before we lose advantage.
I think he’s the best winger we have at putting defenders and defenses under pressure. He takes a lot of risks at predicting ahead of time the next ball, and when he’s right and creates a turnover, it creates chances we just don’t get when pulisic or other wingers are in instead of him.
I find it amazing that arguably our best player ever (in the argument with Donovan and Dempsey) and possibly the best player in Serie A at the moment gets such disrespect. I like Luna but he hasn't gone up against the wave of teams the US will see at the WC. If he was as good as some here suggest he wouldn't still be at RSL. It's the biggest case of backup quarterback syndrome I've ever seen.
It is so wild that anyone would actually compare Christian to him. I am an RSL fan, believe me, they are worlds apart. If we compare his attacking stats to other Americans in MLS this season it is pretty clear out why bigger leagues aren’t willing to buy him: G+A Musovski: 21 Mihailovic: 20 White: 20 Iloski: 19 Wolff: 15 Berhalter: 14 Gutierrez: 13 McGlynn: 12 (season ending injury) Luna:12 (Luna being 57th in the league) Big Chances Created Berhalter: 19 Wolff: 18 Mihailovic: 17 Arfsten: 17 McGlynn: 14 Gutman: 11 Q. Sullivan: 10 Rothrock: 10 Dorsey: 10 Ferreira: 9 Harkes: 9 Moore: 9 Gutierrez: 8 Bassett: 8 Jones: 7 Iloski: 7 Lovitz: 7 Hollingshead: 7 Freeman: 7 Westfield: 7 Larraz: 7 Vassilev: 7 6 more Americans Luna: 5 (Luna at 130th in the league) Chances Created Berhalter: 85 McGlynn: 84 Mihailovic: 82 Wolff: 66 Gutierrez: 54 Fagundez: 51 Arfsten: 50 Luna: 45 (Luna at 39th in the league) Successful Dribbles per 90 Afsten: 1.90 11 other Americans Luna: 1.30 (Luna at 68th in the league) Expected Goals 63rd in the league Luna has never advanced in a Playoff round. RSL had the same PPG with him on or off the field this season. Currently has 3 assists in his last 47 games for RSL. (Since two summers ago) In RSL’s history, he is in the bottom half of attackers in G+A per 90. All that being said, ask yourself if Christian would be in the top 30 in MLS in any single attacking category? (Of course yes) However, Poch could be doing the greatest ever favor to RSL by gifting him endless undeserved call-ups and a WC roster spot. So please don’t tell anyone haha let’s keep the hollow-hype train going please.